Territorians won’t need to travel interstate to watch world-class basketball this weekend as the National Basketball League’s 2022 Blitz tournament will kick-off in Darwin this Friday at the Marrara Sporting Complex.

In a major sporting first for the Territory, the pre-season games, famous for showcasing the skills of future basketball stars as well as the biggest current stars in Australian basketball, will take place from Friday through September 23, with 15 games over the eight days.

Attendance at the games will be monitored by the NBL and is being seen as a “very important bellwether” for Darwin’s bid for an NBL team, said NBL Commissioner Jeremy Loeliger.

“Public interest in the competition at large is something we’re keeping a pretty close eye,” he said. “Whether or not fans turn out for the Blitz is a very important bellwether for how far our consideration goes or which direction our consideration takes.”

All 10 NBL teams are set to play fifteen games at the Darwin Basketball Association during the pre-season tournament.

Fans will have the chance to see NBL superstars including Aron Baynes and a revamped Adelaide with Antonius Cleveland and Robert Franks. There are also new coaches at the helm for New Zealand, Illawarra and Perth, and at Melbourne United, Dean Vickerman will be trying to cover the loss of several key players.

The South East Melbourne Phoenix will battle the Adelaide 36ers on opening night at 7.30 pm, beginning a stretch of 15 games to be played until 23 September.

There will also be a 3×3 Pro Hustle tournament during the day at Darwin Waterfront on 17 and 18 September, as part of the eight-day event.

The tournament is also expected to attract interstate visitors, which the government says will support the local tourism industry and showcase the Territory’s ability to host national sporting events.

“This isn’t just about great basketball, this is about attracting the best events to the Territory, to attract visitors, support local business and grow our economy,” Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said.

“The Territory has a wonderful basketball community and this event will help develop the game in the Territory and continue to highlight our passion at the sport’s highest level.”

The winning team will be presented with the Loggins-Bruton Cup, while the Ray Borner Medal will be awarded to the tournament’s most outstanding player.